9/11 museum admission fee plan angers some victims' families

By Lorenzo Ferrigno, CNN

Updated 5:37 AM ET, Mon May 6, 2013

Photos: 9/11 victims remembered26 photos

9/11 victims remembered – The "Tribute in Light" marks where the World Trade Center buildings stood to commemorate the 11th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on Tuesday, September 11. The 2001 attacks resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people after hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

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9/11 victims remembered – U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, left, and President Barack Obama stand during a memorial service at the Pentagon in Washington. Obama attended the memorial service, near where American Airlines flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, to honor the victims of the September 11 attacks.

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9/11 victims remembered – A flag is held over the reflection pool during remembrance ceremonies on Tuesday.

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9/11 victims remembered – The firefighters of New York City's Engine 33-Ladder 9 observe a moment of silence on Tuesday. The company lost 10 firefighters in the 9/11 attacks.

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9/11 victims remembered – Khudeza Begum etches the name of her slain nephew from the memorial of the 9/11 attacks.

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9/11 victims remembered – A woman cries as she stands over the reflecting pool at the World Trade Center site on Tuesday.

9/11 victims remembered – U.S. military platoons operating out of Lindsey-Forward Operating Base in Afghanistan stand in formation Tuesday during a brief ceremony.

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9/11 victims remembered – Scott Willens, who joined the U.S. Army three days after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, pauses at the South Pool of the 9/11 Memorial on Tuesday.

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9-11 memorial 16 – People pause near the World Trade Center site on Tuesday during a memorial to the victims.

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9-11 memorial 13 – New Yorkers pause near the World Trade Center site on Tuesday.

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9-11 memorial 14 – An honor guard carries an American flag Tuesday near the South Pool of the 9/11 Memorial.

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9-11 memorial 15 – David Peters displays his jacket depicting the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center site.

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9/11 victims remembered – President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama observe a moment of silence with White House staff on Monday.

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9/11 victims remembered – A New York City police officer salutes a flag hanging from One World Trade on Monday.

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9/11 victims remembered – A flag sits in a name on the 9/11 Memorial on Monday.

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9/11 victims remembered – New York City's "Tribute In Light," a memorial to the victims of the 9/11 attacks, shines from One World Trade into the sky over Manhattan on Monday, September 10, as they are tested for ceremonies marking the 11th anniversary.

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9/11 victims remembered – Pictures of loved ones killed in the attacks are displayed at a preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum's memorial exhibition on Monday in New York.

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9/11 victims remembered – Soldiers with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force pray during a memorial ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Tuesday, September 11.

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9/11 victims remembered – Flowers are left Monday at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, prior to ceremonies commemorating the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Some families of 9/11 victims are outraged over the National September 11 Memorial Museum's decision to charge admission for visitors.

Sally Regenhard, assistant chairwoman of the group 9/11 Parents and Families of Firefighters and WTC Victims, called the fee a "slap in the face" on Sunday.

"Patriotic people from all corners of the country go to teach their children something and show respect, and now they will be faced with this fee? It is outrageous," she said.

"This feeds the idea of New York City being money-hungry. It is taking advantage of tourists," Regenhard said. "Making people pay to grieve is going to prevent people from paying their respects and learn about the victims."

9/11 Memorial communications manager Anthony Guido said that an exact price has not yet been set, but it will range from $20 to $25. Family members of 9/11 victims are exempt from all memorial-museum fees and charges, Guido said. The museum will open in 2014.

According to Guido, 9/11 museum officials looked to other institutions in the country for guidance on admission charges, such as the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, which charges $12 for adults.

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The memorial-museum declined to comment on Regenhard's statements.

But not all family members of 9/11 victims agree with Regenhard.

Charles Wolf told CNN affiliate WCBS: "I think if it's necessary, they need to do it, because I want this museum to be good. We've taken a horrible, horrible disaster -- in which my wife was lost -- and we're making it better."